Women Take Dumped Potatoes for Distribution in Christchurch

Grey River Argus, 18 December 1948, Page 8

Women Take Dumped Potatoes for Distribution in Christchurch

CHRISTCHURCH, December 17. In protest against the dumping , of table-quality potatoes, a party from the Canterbury housewives’ Union visited a dump at Ashby’s quarry, Wairarapa Road, Bryndwr, last evening, loaded two trucks, and brought them to the city. This morning, from 9 o’clock onwards, they distributed potatoes free of charge at a depot in Colombo Street, Sydenham. Anyone may take supplies. The union hired a truck and driver, and the other truck was made available by a sympathiser. The party was headed by Mrs Al J. Wilkie, \V.epresident, and Mrs K. Dunmill, secretary. Six housewives and two husbands filled 30 cases, each weighing approximately 501 b, in about half an hour. There were 12 persons, comprising three parties, at the dump. The potatoes collected by the housewives were mainly Dakotas of good size and quality. The union president last evening said: “Half the world is starving, yet hundreds of tons of good edible potatoes are apparently being dumped in New Zealand. This is a demonstration by thrifty housewives against such wicked waste. We’re not having a ‘pot’ at anyone in particular. By delivering at least some of these potatoes where they can be used we believe we are doing something worthwhile. This is not a very nice job for women. Those taking nart are smart and well educated. One of our members said that so often we could only talk about food wastage and high prices. Here was an opportunity to do something”.